Ukrainian authorities have launched an investigation after a Russian missile struck and killed several elite Ukrainian soldiers at an awards ceremony.
Ukraine’s Operational Task Force East confirmed that an attack took place on Saturday in Dnipropetrovsk but did not specify how many soldiers in the military formation had been killed.
Dmytro Sviatnenko, a Ukrainian journalist, said in a post on Facebook that his brother – an elite drone operator – was killed during the ceremony.
“He and his comrades were gathered on the parade ground to be awarded. They gathered the best. The best pilots and infantrymen of the brigade. In order of command. In open terrain. Ballistics flew in. The story of negligence repeated itself,” Mr Sviatnenko wrote.
“He endured hell in Krynky, Kurakhove, Marinka, Krasnohorivka … He was killed by Russians. But not on the battlefield. Deep in the rear,” he added.
Four civilians, including an 11 year old and a 14 year old, were also killed in the same missile strike.
Key Points
- Trump claims Moscow is carrying out underground nuclear weapons tests
- UK sends more Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine
- Putin unveils Russia's new nuclear powered missile cruiser Khabarovskowered
- Ukraine says defences are holding in Pokrovsk as Russia claims advance
Russia strikes civilian infrastructure in Odesa - governor
19:00 , Alex CroftRussia struck civilian energy and port infrastructure in a massive overnight drone attack on Ukraine's southern region of Odesa, its governor said on Tuesday.
"Despite the active work of air defence forces, which destroyed most of the enemy targets, there were hits on civilian port and energy infrastructure facilities," Oleh Kiper wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
He said that rescuers quickly extinguished the fires and there were no casualties.
Italy summons Russian ambassador after 'vulgar' remarks on tower collapse
18:01 , Alex CroftItaly summoned Russia's deputy ambassador on Tuesday to protest at what it said were "vulgar" remarks by Moscow's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who linked the collapse of a tower in Rome to Italy's military support for Ukraine.
A Romanian worker was trapped under the rubble after part of a medieval tower near Rome's Colosseum gave way on Monday. He was later extracted alive, but subsequently died in hospital.
With the rescue operation still underway, Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel that as long as the Italian government "wastes its taxpayers' money" on backing Ukraine, the local economy, and its towers, would continue to collapse.
Foreign minister Antonio Tajani denounced her post as "disturbing" and "unacceptable", adding: "Italy will not alter its foreign policy stance or its principles in response to reckless verbal attacks".
In a statement later posted on Facebook, the Russian Embassy in Rome expressed its condolences for the death of Romanian worker Octav Stroici.
It added that Moscow had raised concerns with Italy over what it called an "aggressive, deplorable anti-Russian campaign" in the Italian media, triggered by Zakharova's earlier comments.
Russian and Ukrainian troops remain in fierce battles in Pokrovsk
17:29 , Alex CroftRussian and Ukrainian troops fought battles on Tuesday in the ruins of Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub in eastern Ukraine that Moscow has been trying to capture for over a year.
Ukraine's military said fierce fighting was under way in a part of the city that was key for Kyiv's frontline logistics. It said additional special forces had arrived there, and more weapons and equipment were being sent.
The Russian Defence Ministry said its soldiers had cleared 35 buildings of Ukrainian troops. It also said that Russian forces were squeezing surrounded Ukrainians near the town of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, about 100 miles (160 km) to the north.
The Independent was unable to verify the battlefield reports from either side. Ukraine has denied that its troops are encircled in either location.
But DeepState, an authoritative Ukrainian battlefield map, on Tuesday showed that Russian forces had pushed further into Pokrovsk and its environs, though it showed much of it still in grey, beyond firm control of either side.
Zelensky urges US to remain open to supplying long-range weapons
17:00 , Alex CroftUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky urged the United States on Tuesday to remain open to supplying Kyiv with long-range weapons for its war effort against Russia.
Donald Trump has said the US will not be providing Kyiv with Tomahawks after months of suggesting he may do so.
While addressing a European Union summit from the Pokrovsk area of eastern Ukraine, Mr Zelensky also called for more Western sanctions on Russia - including on Russia's gas and nuclear sectors - and said he wanted Ukraine to join the EU before 2030.
Putin lays wreath to the monument of liberators of Moscow at Moscow's Red Square
16:30 , Alex CroftMembership of EU by 2030 is realistic goal for Ukraine, says Kallas
16:01 , Alex CroftMembership of the European Union by 2030 is a realistic goal for some aspiring countries, the bloc's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said on Tuesday.
In its annual enlargement report, the EU said that Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine have all made significant advances this year in the path toward membership.
"Expanding the union is in our best interest," Ms Kallas told reporters in Brussels.
IAEA mediating between Moscow and Kyiv over Ukraine's nuclear power plants
15:31 , Alex CroftThe International Atomic Energy Agency is constantly working as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia over Ukraine's nuclear power plants, IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Tuesday in Paris.
The agency is monitoring the compliance of the conditions for the temporary ceasefire around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine, Mr Grossi said.
He added that there is an expanded interest in nuclear power around the world but investments and new projects must abide by non-proliferation rules.
The Zaporizhzhia power plant is currently under Russian occupation, after it took over the area in 2022.
Ukraine military using video game-style reward system earning points killing Russians with drones
14:59 , Alex CroftUkraine’s military units are competing with each other by launching deadly drone attacks to earn points that can be used to buy more weapons.
The video game-style rewards system is proving to be very popular, Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister said, with hundreds of units participating. Launched a year ago, it is now being expanded to reconnaissance, artillery and logistics operations, according to reports.
“It’s become truly popular among units,” deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov told The Guardian. “All the defence forces know about this and there’s competition for the points, for getting these drones, electronic warfare systems and other things to help them in warfighting.
“The more infantry you kill, the more drones you get to kill more infantry. This is becoming kind of a self-reinforcing cycle.”
Bryony Gooch reports:
Ukraine military using video game-style reward system to earn new weapons with points
Zelensky visits troops on frontline
14:30 , Alex CroftVolodymyr Zelensky has visited troops fighting near the eastern city of Dobropillia, where Ukrainian forces are conducting a counteroffensive against Russian troops.
"Much attention was given to weapons, scaling up drone production, the needs of brigades and the experience of the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine 'Azov' and other units," he wrote on X.
The Ukrainian president also shared footage of him speaking with the troops to whom he gave medals.
На пункті управління 4-ї бригади оперативного призначення НГУ «Рубіж» зустрівся з військовими. Вони разом із суміжними підрозділами тримають оборону на Добропільському напрямку.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 4, 2025
Заслухав доповідь командира про ситуацію на цьому напрямку. Детально обговорили з військовими потреби… pic.twitter.com/EJpQWGzcCN
Germany to boost financial aid for Ukraine by 3 billion euros
14:01 , Alex CroftGermany plans to increase its financial aid for Ukraine by about three billion euros ($3.5 billion) next year, two government sources said on Tuesday, confirming a report in business daily Handelsblatt.
Germany is Europe's largest contributor of military aid to Ukraine, having provided around 40 billion euros since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. In its 2026 budget, Germany had allocated 8.5 billion euros to Ukraine.
"We will continue our support for as long as necessary to defend against Russia's war of aggression," one government source told Reuters.
Germany's finance and defence ministers will add an extra three billion euros for Ukraine to final 2026 budget adjustments, said the source. This will cover artillery, drones, armoured vehicles, and the replacement of two Patriot systems, the source added.
A second government source told Reuters that Chancellor Friedrich Merz supported the plans which were expected to be agreed.
Zelensky says EU report shows Kyiv 'confidently moving' towards EU membership
13:28 , Alex CroftUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said the European Commission's latest report on Ukraine's reform progress showed Kyiv was "confidently moving" toward EU membership and was ready to open the first three negotiation clusters.
"We expect the EU's decisive action to overcome all artificial obstacles for a strong and united Europe," he wrote on X.
“Unity and strength are two key elements for the European project to succeed and ensure safety, prosperity, and guaranteed peace for all European nations, communities, and families.
“We are committed to working together to strengthen Europe and our shared values.”
Ukraine committed to EU accession but should do more, says Commission draft
13:00 , Alex CroftUkraine is showing "remarkable commitment" to joining the EU, but must reverse recent negative trends in the fight against corruption, the European Commission has said.
The draft text, part of an EU enlargement report expected to be adopted today, says that "despite the very difficult circumstances the country finds itself in on account of Russia’s war of aggression, Ukraine continued to demonstrate remarkable commitment to the EU accession path over the past year".
Ukraine applied to join the EU days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. It has been pushing to make progress on its bid, despite the challenges of Russia’s war and EU member Hungary blocking Kyiv from formally moving to the next phase of negotiations.
While praising Ukraine for launching reform processes, the European Commission also said that Kyiv needs to make more progress on judicial independence, fighting organised crime and respecting civil society.
Russia massing troops near eastern town of Dobropillia, says Zelensky
12:29 , Alex CroftUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is massing troops near the eastern Ukrainian town of Dobropillia, where Kyiv's forces advanced earlier this year in a successful counteroffensive.
Dobropillia is about 30km north of Pokrovsk, where Zelensky said Ukraine's defences are coming under severe pressure and up to 300 Russian soldiers have infiltrated the city.
Russia is focussing its offensive on this eastern sector of Donetsk, and has been pushing to take the strategic city of Pokrovsk for almost a year.
Taking Pokrovsk would give Moscow its most important single territorial gain in Ukraine since the capture of the ruined city of Avdiivka in early 2024.
Ukraine says defences are holding in Pokrovsk as Russia claims advance
12:00 , Alex CroftThe Ukrainian military has said its defences around Pokrovsk city in Donetsk are holding, denying claims from Russia that its troops are in full control of any district of the city.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Pokrovsk remained under severe pressure, though Russian troops had made no gains in the past day. He said up to 300 Russian servicemen had infiltrated the city.
Russia said on Monday that its troops had advanced into Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub that they have been trying to capture for over a year.
The Russian defence ministry said its soldiers were destroying what it described as surrounded Ukrainian formations near Pokrovsk's railway station and industrial zone, and had entered the city's Prigorodny area and dug in there.
“The invaders continue to attack in small groups of up to five soldiers, without using armoured vehicles," the operation task force responsible for Ukraine's eastern front line said on Facebook.
Ukraine's 7th Rapid Response Corps said Ukrainian forces had thwarted an attempt to cut off a supply route from Rodynske, to the north.
North of Pokrovsk, however, Ukraine has recorded recent gains near Dobropillia. Army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said his forces had stepped up pressure there with the aim of forcing Russia to divert its focus away from Pokrovsk.
Why Russia is so desperate to win the battle of Pokrovsk - and what happens next?
11:27 , Alex CroftRussian forces have advanced in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday.
Pokrovsk is a city that Russia has been trying to capture for over a year.
An estimated 100,000 Russian troops were circling the area, with Ukraine’s top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi saying his forces pushed hard to dislodge Russian troops.
The following are key facts about Pokrovsk, which Russians call by its Soviet-era name of Krasnoarmeysk, and the long battle for its control, which began in earnest in mid-2024.
Why Russia is so desperate to win the battle of Pokrovsk and what happens next
Russia fires 137 drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight
10:55 , Alex CroftRussian forces fired 137 drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight, including an Iskander-M ballistic missile launched from the Rostov region, Ukraine’s air force has said in its daily update.
The attack also involved six S-300 surface-to-air guided missiles from Kursk Oblast and 130 drones, the military added.
Ukrainian forces downed 92 drones, it added. Around 80 of the 130 drones were Iranian-made Shahed drones.
Video: Fire breaks out in Mykolaiv after Russian attack, authorities say
10:23 , Alex CroftOne killed and 11 injured in attacks on Dnipropetrovsk
09:50 , Alex CroftOne person was killed and 11 have been injured, including two children, following Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.
This is according to Vladyslav Haivanenko, the acting chief of the regional military administration, who was providing an update on Facebook.
Russians attacked the Mykolaivka hromada [area] in the Synelnykove district with a missile and a drone, Mr Haivanenko said.
A 65-year-old woman was killed and eight were injured, including a 15-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl.
A further three men were injured in attacks on the region’s Nikopol district.
Ukrainian forces attack petrochemical plant 1,500km inside Russia
09:19 , Alex CroftUkrainian forces attacked a petrochemical plant deep inside Russia, causing a partial collapse of a water-treatment facility but no injuries, regional authorities said on Tuesday.
The Sterlitamak plant in the Bashkortostan region, some 1,500 km (932 miles) from the Ukrainian border in the Urals Mountains, continued operating after the attack, the head of the Bashkortostan region, Radiy Khabirov, said on Telegram.
He added that both of the drones involved in the overnight strike were destroyed. The Russian defence ministry said in its daily report that, in addition to the two drones downed over the Bashkortostan region, its defence systems destroyed 83 drones over seven other Russian regions.
The administration of the city of Sterlitamak, where the plant is located, said that all five workers inside were not injured.
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
In pictures: Zelensky meets with administration officials and holds news conference
08:47 , Alex Croft
Russia strikes civilian infrastructure in Odesa - governor
08:15 , Alex CroftRussia struck civilian energy and port infrastructure in a massive overnight drone attack on Ukraine's southern region of Odesa, its governor said on Tuesday.
"Despite the active work of air defence forces, which destroyed most of the enemy targets, there were hits on civilian port and energy infrastructure facilities," Oleh Kiper wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
He said that rescuers quickly extinguished the fires and there were no casualties.
UK sends more Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine
07:53 , Alex CroftThe UK government has provided Ukraine with more supplies of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, officials said.
An unspecified number of missiles have been sent to Ukraine to ensure the war-hit nation is amply stocked up to respond to Russian attacks with its own long-range strikes deep inside Russian territory, people aware of the matter told Bloomberg.
The officials said Britain is resupplying Ukraine with the cruise missiles as it is concerned Moscow will step up attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
The UK government has not publicly announced the transfer of Storm Shadow missiles or how many are being sent. The reported transfer comes as Donald Trump continues to delay a decision on sending US-made Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.
Two weeks ago Ukraine successfully attacked an important Russian chemical plant using British-made Storm Shadow missiles. Kyiv described the facility as critical to Moscow’s war efforts.
Russia struck energy and port infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa
07:15 , Arpan RaiRussia struck civilian energy and port infrastructure in a massive overnight drone attack on Ukraine's southern region of Odesa, its governor said this morning.
"Despite the active work of air defence forces, which destroyed most of the enemy targets, there were hits on civilian port and energy infrastructure facilities," Oleh Kiper said on his Telegram channel.
He said that rescuers quickly extinguished the fires and there were no casualties.
Watch: Trump claims Moscow is carrying out underground nuclear weapons tests
07:05 , Arpan RaiA look at Ukraine-Russia battlefield in the past 24 hours
07:00 , Arpan RaiRussia said its troops had advanced in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub that they have been trying to capture for over a year, but Ukraine said its forces were holding on.
The Russian defence ministry said its soldiers were destroying what it described as surrounded Ukrainian formations near Pokrovsk's railway station and industrial zone, and had entered the city's Prigorodny area and dug in there.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Russian forces were appearing to be operating with increasing comfort within Pokrovsk.
Here are some other battlefield updates by Ukrainian military officials:
- Ukrainian forces continue defensive efforts and counterattacks in the Pokrovsk direction
- Ukrainian forces advanced near Kupyansk. Russian forces advanced in northern Kharkiv Oblast, near Siversk and Pokrovsk, and in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area
- Ukrainian forces have liberated a significant portion of the Russian penetration in the Dobropillya direction on the eastern flank of the Pokrovsk effort
- Ukrainian efforts to cut off the Russian salient east of Dobropillya are likely generating tactical effects on Russian efforts to encircle the Ukrainian pocket near Pokrovsk
NEW: Russian forces continue to advance in the Pokrovsk direction and appear to be operating with increasing comfort within Pokrovsk itself.
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) November 4, 2025
Other Key Takeaways:
Ukrainian forces continue defensive efforts and counterattacks in the Pokrovsk direction.
Ukrainian forces have… pic.twitter.com/U4hLnVUZpu
UK sends more Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine
06:46 , Arpan RaiThe UK government has provided Ukraine with more supplies of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, officials said.
An unspecified number of missiles have been sent to Ukraine to ensure the war-hit nation is amply stocked up to respond to Russian attacks with its own long-range strikes deep inside Russian territory, people aware of the matter told Bloomberg.
The officials said Britain is resupplying Ukraine with the cruise missiles as it is concerned Moscow will step up attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
The UK government has not publicly announced the transfer of Storm Shadow missiles or how many are being sent. The reported transfer comes as Donald Trump continues to delay a decision on sending US-made Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.
Two weeks ago Ukraine successfully attacked an important Russian chemical plant using British-made Storm Shadow missiles. Kyiv described the facility as critical to Moscow’s war efforts.
Drone flights near Belgium air base could be part of a spying operation, says minister
06:35 , Arpan RaiBelgium's defence minister has expressed concern over a series of unidentified drone flights near a key military base where US nuclear weapons are stored, saying they seem to be part of a spying operation.
Defence minister Theo Francken confirmed that drones had flown into the area near the Kleine Brogel air base in northeast Belgium in two phases on Saturday and Sunday night.
The first phase involved "small drones to test the radio frequencies" of Belgian security services, then later came "big drones to destabilise the area and people," Francken told public broadcaster RTBF.
“It resembles a spy operation. By whom, I don't know. I have a few ideas but I'm going to be careful” about speculating, he said. Last month, several drones were spotted above another Belgian military base near the German border. The operators were not identified.
Russia has been blamed for a number of European airspace violations, notably in Estonia and Poland, in recent months. But the perpetrators of a series of mysterious drone flights in Denmark and Germany have been harder to pin down.
A late evening drone sighting at Berlin's Brandenburg airport on Friday suspended flights for nearly two hours. It was not clear who was responsible.Francken ruled out that the weekend drone flights in Belgium might have been a prank.
Ukrainian drone attacked Russian petrochemical plant, officials say
06:08 , Arpan RaiA Ukrainian drone attack damaged the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant deep inside Russia, causing a partial collapse of a water-treatment facility but no injuries, regional authorities said on Tuesday.
The plant in the Bashkortostan region, some 1,500km (932 miles) from the Ukrainian border in the Urals Mountains, was operating without interruption, said Radiy Khabirov, the head of the Bashkortostan region.
He added that both of the drones involved in the overnight strike were destroyed. The Russian defence ministry said in its daily report that, in addition to the two drones downed over the Bashkortostan region, its defence systems destroyed 83 drones over seven other Russian regions.
The administration of the city of Sterlitamak, where the plant is located, said that all five workers inside were not injured.
Russia massing troops near eastern town of Dobropillia, says Zelensky
05:30 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is massing troops near the eastern Ukrainian town of Dobropillia, where Kyiv's forces advanced earlier this year in a successful counteroffensive.
Dobropillia is about 30km north of Pokrovsk, where Zelensky said Ukraine's defences are coming under severe pressure and up to 300 Russian soldiers have infiltrated the city.
Russia is focussing its offensive on this eastern sector of Donetsk, and has been pushing to take the strategic city of Pokrovsk for almost a year.
Taking Pokrovsk would give Moscow its most important single territorial gain in Ukraine since the capture of the ruined city of Avdiivka in early 2024.
Ukraine committed to EU accession but should do more, says Commission draft
04:58 , Arpan RaiUkraine is showing "remarkable commitment" to joining the EU, but must reverse recent negative trends in the fight against corruption, the European Commission has said.
The draft text, part of an EU enlargement report expected to be adopted today, says that "despite the very difficult circumstances the country finds itself in on account of Russia’s war of aggression, Ukraine continued to demonstrate remarkable commitment to the EU accession path over the past year".
Ukraine applied to join the EU days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. It has been pushing to make progress on its bid, despite the challenges of Russia’s war and EU member Hungary blocking Kyiv from formally moving to the next phase of negotiations.
While praising Ukraine for launching reform processes, the European Commission also said that Kyiv needs to make more progress on judicial independence, fighting organised crime and respecting civil society.
Watch: Trump claims Moscow is carrying out underground nuclear weapons tests
04:32 , Arpan RaiUkraine military using video game-style reward system earning points killing Russians with drones
04:15 , Arpan RaiUkraine’s military units are competing with each other by launching deadly drone attacks to earn points that can be used to buy more weapons.
The video game-style rewards system is proving to be very popular, Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister said, with hundreds of units participating. Launched a year ago, it is now being expanded to reconnaissance, artillery and logistics operations, according to reports.
“It’s become truly popular among units,” deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov told The Guardian. “All the defence forces know about this and there’s competition for the points, for getting these drones, electronic warfare systems and other things to help them in warfighting.
Ukraine military using video game-style reward system to earn new weapons with points
Watch: Putin unveils Russia's new nuclear powered missile cruiser Khabarovskowered
04:05 , Arpan RaiBlast reported at petrochemical plant in Russia's Bashkortostan
03:55 , Arpan RaiAn explosion has been reported at the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant in Russia's Bashkortostan. The blast caused a partial collapse of a water-treatment facility, the administration of the city of Sterlitamak said this morning.
There no immediate reports of injuries, the administration of the city located in the Ural Mountains said on its Telegram channel.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear.
Ukraine says defences are holding in Pokrovsk as Russia claims advance
03:35 , Arpan RaiThe Ukrainian military has said its defences around Pokrovsk city in Donetsk are holding, denying claims from Russia that its troops are in full control of any district of the city.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Pokrovsk remained under severe pressure, though Russian troops had made no gains in the past day. He said up to 300 Russian servicemen had infiltrated the city.
Russia said on Monday that its troops had advanced into Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub that they have been trying to capture for over a year.
The Russian defence ministry said its soldiers were destroying what it described as surrounded Ukrainian formations near Pokrovsk's railway station and industrial zone, and had entered the city's Prigorodny area and dug in there.
“The invaders continue to attack in small groups of up to five soldiers, without using armoured vehicles," the operation task force responsible for Ukraine's eastern front line said on Facebook.
Ukraine's 7th Rapid Response Corps said Ukrainian forces had thwarted an attempt to cut off a supply route from Rodynske, to the north.
North of Pokrovsk, however, Ukraine has recorded recent gains near Dobropillia. Army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said his forces had stepped up pressure there with the aim of forcing Russia to divert its focus away from Pokrovsk.
UK sends more Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine
03:15 , Arpan RaiThe UK government has provided Ukraine with more supplies of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, officials said.
An unspecified number of missiles have been sent to Ukraine to ensure the war-hit nation is amply stocked up to respond to Russian attacks with its own long-range strikes deep inside Russian territory, people aware of the matter told Bloomberg.
The officials said Britain is resupplying Ukraine with the cruise missiles as it is concerned Moscow will step up attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
The UK government has not publicly announced the transfer of Storm Shadow missiles or how many are being sent. The reported transfer comes as Donald Trump continues to delay a decision on sending US-made Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.
Two weeks ago Ukraine successfully attacked an important Russian chemical plant using British-made Storm Shadow missiles. Kyiv described the facility as critical to Moscow’s war efforts.
Ukraine will open arms export offices in Berlin and Copenhagen, says Zelensky
03:05 , Arpan RaiUkraine will set up offices for arms exports and joint weapons production in Berlin and Copenhagen this year, Volodymyr Zelensky has announced.
Zelensky told reporters that naval drones and artillery systems were among the weapons that Kyiv could export. He also said that Ukraine plans to launch mass production of its domestically produced missiles - Flamingo and Ruta - by the end of this year.
Why Russia is so desperate to win the battle of Pokrovsk and what happens next
02:52 , Arpan RaiRussian forces have advanced in the eastern Ukrainiancity of Pokrovsk, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday.
Pokrovsk is a city that Russia has been trying to capture for over a year.
An estimated 100,000 Russian troops were circling the area, with Ukraine’s top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi saying his forces pushed hard to dislodge Russian troops.
Capturing Pokrovsk, dubbed "the gateway to Donetsk" by Russian media, and Kostiantynivka to its northeast which Russian forces are also trying to envelop, would give Moscow a platform to drive north towards the two biggest remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities in Donetsk - Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
Read more about the hottest sector on the frontline here:
Why Russia is so desperate to win the battle of Pokrovsk and what happens next
Watch: How Ukraine and Russia are playing out a deadly cat and mouse drone war from underground bunkers
01:00 , Bryony GoochAnalysis: Why has the battle for Pokrovsk taken so long?
00:00 , ReutersRussia has been threatening Pokrovsk for more than a year. Instead of the full frontal assaults it used in earlier battles like the bloody campaign for the similar-sized city of Bakhmut, Russia's military is using a pincer movement to gradually encircle Pokrovsk and threaten Ukrainian supply lines.
Russian forces harry Ukrainian troops by sending in small units and drones to disrupt logistics and sow chaos to their rear before sending in larger reinforcements.
Ukraine says Russia's offensive has seen its forces sustain huge losses. Moscow says it is Ukraine, with its significantly smaller population, that is at risk of running out of men and that its own slower tactics are designed to minimise casualties.
An incursion into Russia's Kursk region by Ukrainian forces last year, which Moscow fought back, slowed the Russian attack on Pokrovsk too.
Analysis: Why is Pokrovsk so important?
Monday 3 November 2025 23:00 , ReutersIf it falls, Pokrovsk will be the most important Russian territorial gain inside Ukraine since Moscow took the ruined city of Avdiivka in early 2024 after one of the bloodiest battles of the war.
Since then, Russia has made steady but slow gains in intense fighting along the 1,000-km (600-mile) front line of a war that has dragged on for more than three years and eight months.
No face-to-face peace talks have taken place since July, despite attempts by U.S. President Donald Trump to push for an end to the conflict.
Kyiv says the costly fighting is largely stalemated and its territorial losses marginal; Moscow says it is still making important gains.
Elsewhere, the Russian Defence Ministry said its forces had carried out heavy overnight strikes against a Ukrainian military airfield, a military equipment repair base and military-industrial facilities, as well as gas infrastructure facilities that supported them.
Moscow said its troops had also attacked Ukrainian forces near another city, Kupiansk, and dislodged them from four fortified positions in the industrial zone on the left bank of the Oskol River.
Ukrainian military spokesman Viktor Trehubov said on Sunday that Russian attempts to get to the centre of Kupiansk had failed so far, and recent Ukrainian attacks had slowed Russian advances.
Watch: Fire breaks out in Mykolaiv after Russian attack, authorities say
Monday 3 November 2025 22:00 , Bryony GoochRussia says its forces advance in ruins of Pokrovsk, Ukraine says defenders hold on
Monday 3 November 2025 21:00 , ReutersRussia said on Monday that its troops had advanced in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub that they have been trying to capture for over a year, but Ukraine said its forces were holding on.
The Russian Defence Ministry said its soldiers were destroying what it described as surrounded Ukrainian formations near Pokrovsk's railway station and industrial zone, and had entered the city's Prigorodny area and dug in there.
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.
The Ukrainian military said Russian troops were not in full control of any district of the city.
"The invaders continue to attack in small groups of up to five soldiers, without using armored vehicles," the operation task force responsible for Ukraine's eastern front line said on Facebook.
Ukraine's 7th Rapid Response Corps said Ukrainian forces had thwarted an attempt to cut off a supply route from Rodynske, to the north.
Pokrovsk had a pre-war population of some 60,000 people, but most civilians fled its ruins long ago. Capturing it could give Moscow a platform to drive towards Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the two biggest remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities in the Donetsk region which Russia wants to capture in its entirety.
North of Pokrovsk, however, Ukraine has recorded recent gains near Dobropillia. Army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said his forces had stepped up pressure there with the aim of forcing Russia to divert its focus away from Pokrovsk.
In pictures: People walk near a makeshift memorial with the names of fallen service members written on Ukrainian and other national flags, at the Independence Square
Monday 3 November 2025 20:00 , Bryony Gooch
Watch: Putin unveils Russia's new nuclear powered missile cruiser Khabarovskowered Missile Cruiser Khabarovsk
Monday 3 November 2025 19:00 , Bryony GoochRecap: Why are US Tomahawk missiles so highly-coveted by Ukraine?
Monday 3 November 2025 18:00 , Bryony GoochThe Tomahawk cruise missile has been in the US military’s inventory since the 1980s. While slow by missile standards, the cruise missile flies around 100 feet (about 30 meters) off the ground, making it harder to detect by defence systems.
The missile also boasts an impressive range of around 1,000 miles and precision guidance systems that make it the go-to weapon for striking targets that are deep inland or in hostile territory. The long-range nature of the missiles would put Moscow in Ukraine’s range, a significant threat to Russia.
Questions have been raised about how Tomahawks could be employed in Ukraine. They are launched almost exclusively from ships or submarines and Ukraine doesn’t possess a Navy with ships capable of carrying the 20-foot-long missile.
The US Army has been developing a platform to launch the missile from the ground, but some experts have that the capability was still far from ready, even for US forces.
How many nuclear weapons are there in the world and who has the most?
Monday 3 November 2025 17:00 , Bryony Gooch
The 9 countries with nuclear weapons as US set to resume testing after 30 years
In pictures: Life in Kyiv continues amid Russia's latest overnight attack
Monday 3 November 2025 16:40 , Bryony Gooch
Moscow testing nuclear weapons, says Trump
Monday 3 November 2025 16:20 , Bryony GoochUS president Donald Trump has said that Russia is carrying out “underground” nuclear weapons tests as he doubled down on his announcement last week that the US would restart their own nuclear testing.
Speaking to Norah O’Donnell on 60 Minutes, he said that “Russia's testing, and China's testing, but they don't talk about it”, adding they were doing them “underground where people don't know exactly what's happening with the test.”
When Ms O’Donnell tried to clarify if he meant that Russia and China were definitely testing their nuclear weapons, he said: “Russia's testing nuclear weapons.
“Russia did make-- a little bit of a threat the other day when they said they were gonna do certain forms of a different level of testing.”
Drones spotted over Belgian military base
Monday 3 November 2025 16:00 , Bryony GoochDrones have been seen flying over a Belgian military base near the Dutch border for a third night in a row, according to the country's defence minister Theo Francken.
Police in Belgium are investigating the sightings following reports on Saturday of drones flying over the Kleine Brogel air base in north-east Belgium, Francken said in a post on X. A helicopter and police vehicles pursued but failed to capture the drone, and a drone jammer was unable to intercept it, he said.
"It was not a simple overflight, but a clear command targeting Kleine Brogel," Francken said.
Francken told Belgian radio on Monday that it looked like an espionage operation, but said he would not speculate on who could be behind it.
"I have some ideas, but I'm going to be cautious," he added.
NATO countries have been on high alert in recent weeks after drone sightings and other air incursions, including at airports in Copenhagen, Munich and in the Baltic region. Some 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace in September.
The European Commission last month proposed four European defence projects, including a counter-drone system and a plan to fortify the eastern border with Russia, as part of a drive to get the continent ready to defend itself by 2030.
Ukraine says Russian troops do not fully control any of Pokrovsk's districts
Monday 3 November 2025 15:39 , Bryony GoochRussian troops do not have full control of any district in the eastern city of Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian military said on Monday.
"The invaders continue to attack in small groups of up to five soldiers, without using armoured vehicles," the operation task force responsible for Ukraine's eastern front line said on Facebook.
Russia said earlier on Monday that its troops had advanced in Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub that Russian forces have been seeking to capture for over a year.
Ukraine troops advance near Dobropillia, north of battleground Pokrovsk.
Monday 3 November 2025 15:23 , Bryony GoochKyiv’s troops have advanced further near Dobropillia, north of Pokrovsk, Ukraine’s army chief has said.
It comes as the Russian Defence Ministry has claimed that its forces had advanced in the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk and had carried out massive strikes overnight on Ukrainian military-industrial sites.
Ukraine military using video game-style reward system earning points killing Russians with drones
Monday 3 November 2025 15:00 , Bryony GoochUkraine’s military units are competing with each other by launching deadly drone attacks to earn points that can be used to buy more weapons.
The video game style rewards system is proving to be very popular, Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister said, with hundreds of units participating. Launched a year ago, it is now being expanded to reconnaissance, artillery and logistics operations, according to reports.
Read more here:
Ukraine military using video game-style reward system to earn new weapons with points
Analysis: Why does Russia want to capture Pokrovsk?
Monday 3 November 2025 14:40 , ReutersRussia wants to take the whole of the Donbas region, which comprises the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. Ukraine still controls about 10% of Donbas - an area of about 5,000 square km (1,930 square miles) in western Donetsk.
Capturing Pokrovsk, dubbed "the gateway to Donetsk" by Russian media, and Kostiantynivka to its northeast which Russian forces are also trying to envelop, would give Moscow a platform to drive north towards the two biggest remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities in Donetsk - Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. It would also give Moscow its most important single territorial gain inside Ukraine since it took the ruined city of Avdiivka in early 2024.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Donbas is now legally part of Russia. Kyiv and most Western nations reject Moscow's seizure of the territory as an illegal land grab. Some Western military analysts, like Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the U.S.-based Foreign Policy Research Institute, say that capturing Pokrovsk would hand Russia an important win, especially if it can do it by the end of the year.
But though important for operational reasons, Lee says taking Pokrovsk would still leave Russia a lot of work to do when it came to taking control of the rest of Donetsk and the two important fortress cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
Why are US Tomahawk missiles so highly-coveted by Ukraine?
Monday 3 November 2025 14:20 , Bryony GoochThe Tomahawk cruise missile has been in the US military’s inventory since the 1980s. While slow by missile standards, the cruise missile flies around 100 feet (about 30 meters) off the ground, making it harder to detect by defence systems.
The missile also boasts an impressive range of around 1,000 miles and precision guidance systems that make it the go-to weapon for striking targets that are deep inland or in hostile territory. The long-range nature of the missiles would put Moscow in Ukraine’s range, a significant threat to Russia.
Questions have been raised about how Tomahawks could be employed in Ukraine. They are launched almost exclusively from ships or submarines and Ukraine doesn’t possess a Navy with ships capable of carrying the 20-foot-long missile.
The US Army has been developing a platform to launch the missile from the ground, but some experts have that the capability was still far from ready, even for US forces.
Watch: How Ukraine and Russia are playing out a deadly cat and mouse drone war from underground bunkers
Monday 3 November 2025 14:00 , Bryony GoochPutin’s tests for Nato from airspace violations to drone incursions
Monday 3 November 2025 13:39 , Bryony GoochMultiples countries in the alliance have reported incursions by drones into their airspace in recent months, James C. Reynolds reports.
Read more here:
Airspace violations and drone incursions: How Putin is provoking Ukraine’s allies
In pictures: Russian PM meets Chinese premier
Monday 3 November 2025 13:19 , Bryony Gooch
Watch: Fire breaks out in Mykolaiv after Russian attack, authorities say
Monday 3 November 2025 13:07 , Bryony GoochRussia and China are 'good neighbours' says Chinese premier
Monday 3 November 2025 12:40 , Bryony GoochChina’s premier Li Qiang has met with Russia’s prime minister Mikhail Mishustin, according to Chinese state media.
Mishustin has arrived in China for a two-day visit that includes meetings with president Xi Jinping and premier Li Qiang.
Li has said that China and Russia are good “neighbours” with mutual trust, as he met Mishustin.
Russian coast guard boat flying Wagner flag spotted near Estonia
Monday 3 November 2025 12:18 , Bryony GoochEstonia’s foreign affairs ministry has said that a Russian coast guard boat flying a Wagner mercenary flag was spotted near the country.
The country suggested that the display of a symbol of the mercenary group that rebelled against the Kremlin two years ago "confirms the fact that Russia's 'iron' system is fracturing".
The Wagner company, led by late oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, fought in some of the hardest battles against Ukraine before staging an uprising against Moscow in June 2023. Prigozhin later died in a mysterious plane crash months after agreeing an end to the rebellion.
Is Wagner marching on Moscow again, or starting with St. Petersburg this time? Hard to tell.
— Estonian MFA 🇪🇪 | 🌻 #StandWithUkraine (@MFAestonia) November 2, 2025
From our side it looks like they’ve already annexed the Russian border guards.
Who knows… @mfa_russia? pic.twitter.com/fJmENccVzC
In pictures: Cemetery set up in Donetsk for Russian service members killed in conflict
Monday 3 November 2025 12:05 , Bryony Gooch
Latvian man arrested for allegedly collecting information for Russia's intelligence
Monday 3 November 2025 11:41 , Bryony GoochA Latvian citizen has been arrested for allegedly collecting information about the Baltic country's defence sector for Russia's shadowy GRU military intelligence service, authorities said Monday.
The suspect, whose identity was not made public, is accused of espionage. The person was taken into custody last month as officials conducted raids of two related sites.
Latvian authorities said the suspect obtained and passed along details about NATO forces there, as well as information about private infrastructure used for aviation and how to buy prepaid cellphone cards. The Baltics and the rest of Europe are on high alert after fighter jet and drone intrusions into NATO's airspace reached an unprecedented scale in September.
Some European officials described the incidents as Moscow testing NATO's response, which raised questions about how prepared the alliance is against Russia.
Russia launches 150 drones and missiles at Ukraine in overnight strike
Monday 3 November 2025 09:14 , Bryony GoochRussia has launched 150 drones and missiles at Ukraine in its latest overnight attack.
Three “Kinzhal” aeroballistic missiles, four Iskander-M ballistic missiles, and five S-300/S-400 surface-to-air guided missiles were launched from Lipetsk, Crimea and Kursk, as well as 138 Shahed and Gerbera drones.
Ukraine’s defence forces were able to shoot down and suppress 116 targets. Missile hits and 20 strike UAVs were recorded at 11 different locations.
